Mining machine



Julie 1931. R. M FLEMING 1,808,649

MINING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1927 8 Sheets-Sheet l .Jun 2, 1931. R. M. FLEMING MINING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1927 I June Z, 1931. R. M. FLEMING 1,808,649

I MINING MACHINE Filed June 3, 1927 V a Sheets-Sheet 5 u u u n EWE u [a "ti w m n a a insc w i fig i i sfila J 2, 1931. R. M. FLEMING 1, 0

I MINING MACHINE Filed June 3, 1927 8Shets-Sheet 4 I 7L & Q 29; 30 9o June 2, 1931. R. M. FLEMING 1,808,649

MINING MACHINE Filed Jun 3, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 5 June 2, 1931. FLEMlNG 1,808,649

'- a Sheets-Sheet e R. M. FLEMING MINING MACHINE Filed June 3; 1927 8 S heets-Sheet 7 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED ROBERT M. FLEMI G, 01* 00am; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EBENSBUR coax. COMPANY, OF comma, PMNSYLWANIAQAGORPQRATION10F PENNsYLvANIL G Application fil ed .J'une 3,

This invention relates to machines of the type adapted for use in mining or extracting, breaking down and loading, coal or other mined products-from a solid state, without the-use of blasting orothe'r proper-a tion;

An object of the invention is'to providea mining machine that willattack solid coal as it occurs in the seam, cut a rectangular block of coal, break the blocl'rof coal down,

shovel or scoop up the broken coal and carry it to the rear of the apparatus. v

Another object is to providea mining machine for cutting out a rectangular blockof mineral, suchas coal, with ineansfor' adjusting the cutting elements soaasjto cut coal seams of varying thicknessesi 'Another obiect to provide a "mining machine with means forsimultaneously producing a pluralityof kerfs interconnected in the form of a rectangle, together with rmeans for simultaneously wedgi-ngi a-gainst the material below the upper horizontal kerf and breaking the material down; 7,

Another object is to provide a coal mining machine with a moving wedge forblfea-king down blocks ofcoah r Another object is to produce an efficient,

strong and durable mining machine which may be economically constructed *and operated. 7

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The views of the dra:Wings-are=:'-" Figure 1 is a plan of'the machine; showing one form of means for breal ringdhwn the mineral, the machine being shown in an operative position 1113, mine; I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure l MACHINE 192.71 sen-a1 No. 19am.

Fig. 7-is ade't'ail horizontal sectionas 7 from the linef7-7 of F igfiQ';

Fig; 8" is a detail vertical section on' the line-8'-8 of Fig. 2";

Fig;- 9" is a -deta=il longitudinal'section as I seen from'the1ine9 9 oii Fig. '8; i

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are, detail views ofthc control" valve for the cutter head frame ad} justi'nn means? ing mechanism for the mining section of the 'machine'; u Fig." 17 is a diagrammatic side elevation 'of the structure shown in Figs; 15 and; 16-;

' Fig. 18 is aplan ofa portion of theiferwardend of the machine, showin modified form of'hreaker; l t t Fig. *19 is a vertical sectionas seenfrom'the line 19"-19"ofFi g.-"I8;

Fig-i 'QOis "a vertical section taken" on'fthe line 2020 of Fig. 18; and

Fig; 21' is front view of a portion of a seam of'coal,illustrating the shape of the out made by the machine; Referringtto' the dra fng comprises three sections, including a" mining sectionA', 'a-tractor. B and a conveyor. 6'. i

The mining'section A of'the machine pro-* vided with a plurality of cutting. elements,

whichare'carried on a framein such aman'ner asto produce interconnected kerifs of rectan-.

gular form in aseain of coal! fail tobreak downiinder its own weight, then means, in: the form of a moving wedge also carried by the. frame of themachine, may be used for breaking down, the coal. l Y The frame o-f the ma-c hine includes sides, which maybe telescoped so as "to" increaseor -de'orease the height ofithe cutting elements of the machine according to the thickness'of the seam offcoailbeing" worked 5 i t The machine is ad-apted' to be operated in Fig. 13 is ad etail vertical section taken-on Should he block'of coal between the kerf s taken 1 the "machine r 1 -Mounted' on the shafts any place in which hand mining can be done. i

The machine is carried into the working place on, the tractor B, and it is placed so that the front of its cutting elements are directly incontactwith thev solid face of coal.

Motion 'isthen imparted to the cutting elements. Asthe coal is cut away, the tractor pushes the entire machine forwardly into the coal'at slow speeds. I V

The tractor V The tractor B is designed and intended to support the mining section A and the con- .Veyor C, and to transport themwherever desired. I

The tractor comprises a skeleton. frame 21,

which may be constructed in any suitable v V The belt has a width'slightly less than the 5 manner.- i i r The frame 21 has a pair of shafts18and32 journalled therein.

l8. and 32-are sprockets 19 and 22, there being a pair of such sprockets at each end of the tractor;

Endless beltv treads 20encircleeach pair of sprockets. Rollers 31,.carried by the frame 21, bear against the treads20, beneath the frame,for the purpose of retaining the treads r V provided with aninclined bottom plate 67' in contactwith the groun L Thetreads 20 are driven either in a forward direction or in a rearward direction by the sprockets22.

.' mediate'its, length, another sprocket 1.40

For this-purpose, the shaft 1 8 carriesinter- The sprocket 40 is connected to a sprocket I v41 01 1 adrive shaft 30 by means of chain 23.

shaft 29.

The drive, shaft. 30 is. carried .inQt he. frame 21 and parallelstheshafts18and32. v I

Slidably mounted on the shaft 36 are bevel gears 24 and 36.. These gears are'adapted'to mesh with a beveljgear 25 on theendofa The shaft 29 "is, disposed longitudinally of the tractor and may be mounted inl the frame in any suitable manner.

v The end of the shaft 29 op osite to the as 25 has fixed thereon agear 26 which meshes ''with a pinion 27on the end of a shaft 33 of electric motor 28: a H

I ==Poweris transmitted from themotqr pinion 27 through the gear 26 to the shaft 29.-

' By means of'a suitable gear shifting mechanism (not shown) either of the gears 24 0r'36 canb'e engaged with the gear 25..

When theg'l ars 24aIld-25Qare-engaged,,and

chains 61 of upstanding side I walls 66. V

the motor 28'rotated clockwise, a forward momotion imparted to the tractor treads will be reversed, as will be readily understood.

7 As shown in'Fig. 1, the gears 24 and 36 are illustrated in a neutral position, with respect to the gear=25. P V

i Mounted in the frame 21 directly above the shaft 30 is another shaft 42..

A gear 44 on shaft 30 is adapted to be engaged with a gear 43 onthe shaft 42 by means of suitable'mechanism (not shown).

The conveyor is driven'from shaft 42., The framefl21 carries a pair of spaced girders 60, of channel form. These girders are disposed between the treads 20- and v proj ect forwardly from the tractor.

A, as well as the conveyor C. 7

I The. conveyor The conveyor consists of two parallel I which are connected at intervals by flights 62. I

The flights 62 carry an endless belt 63.

# sprockets 49 on asha-ft 48,. at thedischarge,

or rear e'ndof the machine. 1

, The conveyor is confined between a The forward end of the'conveyor frame is The plate 67 has a tiguO l to the ground.

' .j-rThe plate 67 and the nose 68 are so con} stituted. as to direct the loose coal towards the forward end of, the conveyor.

Between its. front end, and the portion thereof which overlies the tractor, the conveyor is inclined. All of the driving mechanism is disposed beneath the elevated porev tion of the conveyor. V

If so desired, thebottom plate 67 may so constructed as t'ounderlie the conveyor for its entire length. In this way, loose particles of material falling from the conveyor will be prevented from lodging in the driving mechanism; V I

The shaft 42 has two sprockets 45 and fixed thereon, the sprocket 45 being positioned'nea'r one end of the shaft and isadaptv ed to drive the mechanism at the forward end pair nose 68, disposed con- I i The girders 60 support the mining section" nov of the machine, whilethe sprocket 50 is positioned near the otherend ofthe shaft 42, and is :connected'to a sprocket 47 on shaft 48 by a chain- 46. The sprocketl47 is located adof the machines The drums 71 have toothed projections 7 2.

The projections and 72 may be of the form illustrated; so as to provide a plurality of staggered cuttingelements.

The chains 69 and drums 71 are carried. by rectangular frames 73.

The rear of the. frames 73 are rigidly confnected to extensions of the girder 60 (see Figs. 1 and 2).

The frames 73 have grooves their periphery for the chains 69 In order to provide means wherebythe sides of the mining section may have their height adjusted to correspond: to the thickness of the coal seambeing. worked; the frames 73 are composed. of telescoping :sec-

,tions. y

The sections of the frames 73 include angularmembers 75, 76 77- 78.v The member 7 5'has a-solid corner portion from whichprojects two arms7-9 and 80;

The member 7 6 has asolid corner portion from which projects two armsSl and. 82,.the

arm 81 being bifurcated, while the arm 82 is'similar inform-tothe arms 7 9 and 80. V

The member 7 7 has" a solid corner portion from which projects two arms 83 and 84-, both of-which are formedv similarly to the bifurcated arm 81 of the member 76.

The member 7 8 has a solid corner portion from which projects two'arms Strand 8.6;. the arm- 85- being formed similarly to the arms 79, 80 and 82 while the arm .86is formed sim- "ilarlyto the arms81 ,83 and; 84..

Each of the arms at; sa erand 86 have grooves 87 formedtherein, as'sh'own in- Fig. 4, while each of the arms 79; 80', 82 and 85 have ribs 88 formed thereon. J

The ribs 88 are slidably mounted in the grooves 87. p V The drums7 1 are journalled onsh'aft's 89 carried by the. corner portions of the members 77 and 78-of theframes 73. l f The ends of the shafts 89 have fixedthereon sprockets 90 which are disposedflini recesses 91 formed in the corner portions of the members 77 and78, r

The links of-the chains 69 engage theteeth of: the sprockets 90 and are guided thereby at the front end of themachine, (.see Fwig. *5).

Theicorner of 'thememberfi 5 "has its sur- The links of the chains 69 engage the teeth, 1 of the sprockets 93.

7 4 formed in I 73- regardless of the relative ,telescopedsides thereof.

face: curved and the. groove 74. extends around this portion of the frame 73.

The corner.- portions of" the members 76 have journalled therein a shaft 92; This shaft} has fixed thereon sprockets 98. The sprockets 93 are disposed in recesses 94 formed in the corner portions of the mem- Intermediate its-length, the shaft 92 has fixed thereon a sprocket 56.

Mounted inthe frame 21,

forwardly of i the shaft '42, is another shaft 53, on which a I shaft is rnounted sprockets '52-and' 54'.

A chain 51 connectssprockets 45- and 52, while acha'in oii-connects sprocketsot and 56. Vhtnr motion isimparted 'tothe conveyor from the shaft 42, motion will also be in,

parted tothe cutting chains 69 and the cutting drums 71 by the series of chains and sprockets just described v The arms of the frame 78'have journalled therein a shaft 57 having fixed thereoneas show-Win Figs. 1 2' 4 and 13, a plurality of dogs 58.

Any number of the dog's'58 can be placed on V the shaft'57. However, these dogs should preferably be of the form shown in Figglie and theyshould have serrated arcuate faces 59% T f The dogs 58 should be disposed in angular relation to eachotheron=the sliaft 57 as shown in=-Figs. 2 and 13.

As the machine cuts its way forward into solidcoal, the block of coal thusfreed on five faces willca'tch one or another of the dogs 58.

Since-the tips of the'dogs project below the upper surface of the block of coal, "the-teeth of the dogs will befo'rced intothe coal when the machine moves forwardly. This action wil l forcethe'block of coal downwardly, and

the wedging action ofthe dogs against the coal-"will fracture the latter so that it will fallqupon the front end of the conveyor.

As" shown in Fig. 2;.tl1e vertical height ofthe "frame 73 is reduced toa minimum,jby reason that'thearms '79 and 81, and the arms 83 and 85'of the frame members have been telescoped-together, while in Fig. 8, the vertical sidesof'theframe are shown extended.

When the vertical arms of the frame are telescoped together as shown in Fig. 2, the horizontal arms '80 and 86, and 82 and 84,

will be extended with respect to' each other a correspondingdistance- This provides for uniform length of th'e periphery of the frames position of the To change the height of the frame 73, the verticaland horizontal arms'are slid relatively to each other by means of jacks 34. In thepresent instance four jacks are used,

and such. devices are arrangedin pairs, disposed at right angles to each other, a'sshown in Figs.7and 8.

The jacks 34:, which are similarly formed, comprise a body having a cylinder 35. The

body isrigidly attached to the'arms and 82 of the frame 73.

Slidably mounted in the cylinder of each jack is a piston 37, the rod of which isfixe'd to a bracket 38.

The brackets 38 are fastened tothe arms 79 and 8 i ofthe frames 73. a I

The jacks'EA maybeofany desired type. However, in" the present instance, the'pistons '37 are adapted to be actuated by suitable fluid,

such as oil, which is contained Within the cylindrical body of each jack.

The cylinders 35 of each of the jacks have a length greater than the length of the strokes of the piston 37.

Pipe lines and 96are respectively con- 'nected to the forward and rear ends vof each of the cylinders 35. v

The pipes 95 and 96 are connected to a valve pipes 99 and 100.

The pump 98 may be of any approved type and it can be actuated by means of anelectric motor 101 (see Figs. 7 and 8').

1 When the oil'is forced into the jacks 3a through the pipe 96, the pistons will move outwardly thereby spreadingQthe horizontal members of the frame. 7 V

'However, the arrangement of thejacksis such that as'the horizontal sides of the frames 73 are telescoped together, the vertical sides of the frames W'lll be simultaneously eXtendin pipes 99 and 100, to remainiunchanged. V

I oil inthe pipes 95 and 96 is reversed. 1 This I (see Figs.

.10. 11. and 12).

l Vhen'it is desired to change the height of the frames 7 3, the direction of flow of the is done by means of the Valve 97 Thevalve 97 may be an approved type of slide valve so constructed that theflow of oil can be controlledto permitthe Oll to flow,

from pipe 99 to either pip e96 or pipe" 95,

orfrom pipe 100 to either pipe 95 or p1pe'96,

-' iccordin to. the position of the'valve', aswill be readily understood. I

Vhen 'the machine is positioned against aseam of coal motion canbe imparted to the chains 69 and drums 71. As the cutting ele ments of these members cut away the coal, the tractor treads will push thewhole ma chine forward into the coal ata slow rate of speed. Y

' Fine coal from the cutters, andcoal that does not fall directly on to the conveyor is The valve97 is connected to a pump 98 by 'of the cylinders 106.

conveyor and the forward thrust of the tractor will pushsuch coal on to the conveyor.

The coal will be discharged from the rear of the conveyor into; a car or anotherconveyor.

In lieu of the means,,including the dogs 58, for breaking down the coal,;I have, in Flgs.

' 18, 19 and 20, shown an'alternat ive form of coal breaker comprising a heavy jaw 102.-

flhe jaw is provided with a pair of oppositely projecting trunnions 103. which are ivotally mounted in brackets 104: carried The jaw 102 is substantially rectangular in form and the trunnions 103 are disposed near one'end thereof. i

the upper horizontal arms'ofthe frames The edge of the jaw 102 opposite to; its

- pivot is provided with a plurality of pistons 105 which are slidably mounted in cylinders 106.

The cylinders 106 are carried by brackets 107 fixed tothe upper horizontal arms of the frames 73. I

, A pipe 108', leading fro1n't-hel pump .98, (shown in Fig. 9)-"has branches. 109, to each The bottom of the Jaw 102 has serrations 110, which are disposed transversely of the machine. 0 n i I Oil pressure from the'pump 98 will force .thepistons 105 downwardly, and as the machinemoves forwardly in the mine the serra tions 1110 will bite into the coal and crush thesamel As shown byFig. 20, the disposition of the jaw 102 is such that it actsas a moving wedge against the top of the block of coal, as will be readily understood; I c v The invention set forth herein is, of course, susceptible of various other modifications" and adaptations. I i

The invention claimed-is-:v I

1. The combination in a mining machine, 0f-a mining section; endless chain cutterslocated at each side of said mining section; and

transverse upper and lower cylindrical" cut- 7 terf bars located between the endless chain cutters and .betweenwhich the operativesections of the endless chain cutters extend sub- I I stantiallyvertically. 2. The combination in a mining of a mining section; rotatable transverse up:

per and lower cutting'bars'having trunnions;

and longitudinally arranged endless chain cutters mounted on the trunnions of the cutter bars" and between which the operative sections of the chain cutters extend vertically." 3. The combination in a Ininingmachine,

of a mining section having a plurality of end-- machine,

rear of said mining section; and transverse upper and lower cylindrical cutter bars rotatably driven from said shaft through said endless chains, the operative sections of said chains extending vertically between the cutters.

4E. The combination in a mining machine, of a frame; means for vertically adjusting the frame; means for longitudinally adjusting said frame; an endless chain cutting element at each side of the frame; and upper and lower members having cutting elements extending substantially across the frame be tween the sides thereof.

5. The combination in a mining machine, of a mining section; a frame, said frame having telescopic sections to allow the frame to be expanded or contracted vertically and longitudinally; endless chain cuttingmembers arranged at each side of the said frame; upper and lower transverse elements having cutting members driven from the said chains; and fluid operated jacks arranged to simultaneously adjust the frame.

6. The combination in a mining section of a mining machine, of a frame, the side members of which are vertically adjustable; two endless chain cutters, one mounted at one side of the frame and the other at the opposite shaft throughsaid endless chains and having 7 cutting. elements combining with the cutting the other on the opposite side thereof and chainsto sever the four sides of a horizontal veyor.

ROBERT M. FLEMING.

side thereof; means at the rear end of the frame for driving said chains; upper and lower cylindrical members having cutters at the forward end of the frame driven by the chains; and means for vertically adjusting the frame. a

V7. The combination in a mining section of amininginachine, of cutting elements for producing a rectangular kerf in a seam of coal;

and rotatable cam wedging means rotatably actuated by engagement, with the body of coal for producing a wedging effect upon such body, said wedgingmeans being located rearwardly of the cutting face of the machine, and operating after the kerf has been produced.

8. The combination in a mining section of a mining machine, consisting'of a frame; two endless chain cutters,one located at one side of the frame and the other at the opposite side thereof; a plurality of transverse cutters spaced apart, one of said cutters being above theother and having their axes arranged substantially horizontally; and a rotating wedging device comprising a plurality of relatively staggered wedges arranged side by side on a single shaft, located in the kerf ofthe upper transverse cutter for producing the wedging effect upon the upper surface of the out section of coal, to break 

